Dear visitor, welcome to SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers. If this is your first visit here, please read the Help. It explains how this page works. You must be registered before you can use all the page's features. Please use the registration form, to register here or read more information about the registration process. If you are already registered, please login here.

Going under a driveway

Hello all,

I have a half circle driveway that sections off a piece of the yard that I need to get to. I know about using a hose nozzle to bore under the driveway. My question is should I run the full size line under for three sprayers? I have 1-1/2" pipe. Can I run 1" instead? I'm thinking, the smaller the pipe the easier it will be.

What kind of soil do you have? It can make the difference between this being an easy job, and a pain in the rear job. You can review the details of the pains I went through dealing with rock-filled clay here: Tunnel Under Driveway

The thing I found to be the relatively easy way to accomplish going under something was to construct a pilot hole with a piece of rebar and sledge hammer. Then I used 3/4" black pipe tipped with a bell reducer 3/4" to 1/2" transition) tipped with a nipple. I then hammered that along the pilot hole. The pilot hole also helps if you need to use a hose or pressure washer to power through.

I don't see any reason why you would want to constrict yourself to 3/4". If you can make a hole big enough to slide a 3/4" piece of pipe through, then you can make the hole bigger to accept a larger pipe. Just use some black pipe and black pipe fitting (along with a sledge hammer) and make the hole bigger. The bell shape of 1/2" to 3/4" with a nipple on the front of it makes for a pretty good arrow point to force through the hole. From experience, I know that a black pipe 3/4" fitting is perfect for 1" copper pipe.